The Arab League’s recognition of the Syrian opposition as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people means that the League is refusing to allow a peaceful settlement in Syria, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.

“We have learned the results of the Arab League summit in Doha with regret, I can tell you frankly,” Lavrov said at a media briefing on Thursday. “We consider the main meaning of the decisions made that the Arab League has refused a peaceful settlement for Syria.”

“The recognition of the national coalition as the only legitimate representative of the Syrian people contradicts the Geneva [Communique],” Lavrov argued.

In the wake of the decisions made at the Arab League’s summit, Moscow does not see how the UN -Arab League peace envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi is going to perform his duties, Lavrov said.

Lavrov said that one “big question” is emerging concerning Brahimi’s UN-Arab League mandate: If one of the founders of the mandate, the Arab League, proclaims that the national opposition coalition in Syria is the only legitimate power, “there will be no negotiations, only arming of the forces set to oust the regime.”

“I simply cannot see how Mr Brahimi could still be considered not only the UN mediator [for Syria], but for the Arab League as well,” Lavrov said.

The decision to supply arms to the Syrian opposition not only violates international law, but is an “encouragement of confrontation of the irreconcilable forces on both sides."

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